March 4th Update

CUMBERLAND AVENUE MINI-MILESTONE: UTILITY WORK

REACHES EASTERN EDGE OF RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Phase II work is progressing for the Cumberland Avenue reconstruction project, with six street closures scheduled through mid-March – including a complete closure of Cumberland Avenue at 17^th Street the weekend of March 12-14.

Southern Constructors Inc. will be closing the Cumberland-17^th Street intersection to accommodate underground utility installation starting at 5 a.m. Saturday, March 12. The intersection is scheduled to reopen at 6 a.m. Monday, March 14.

During the closures, through traffic should use Volunteer Boulevard as an alternate route. Local traffic may detour onto White Avenue or Lake Avenue.

            “This part of the project represents a small milestone, because the utility work has rolled out to the eastern edge of the Cumberland Project,” said Anne Wallace, the City’s Deputy Director of Redevelopment. “We are pleased that the underground utility work is on schedule and should be completed in the near future.

“The merchants are enthusiastic about the transformation taking place. We’re committed to working with them to minimize road-closure inconveniences by carefully scheduling them in a way that maintains access to the restaurants and retailers. For example, the Cumberland closure was intentionally scheduled during the University of Tennessee’s spring break to reduce traffic impacts.”

Other closures are scheduled for next week:

n  White Avenue, between 17^th and 18^th streets – 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, March 7, through Friday, March 11. A contractor will be pouring concrete for construction at The Standard, a 240-plus-unit apartment complex being built on the southwest corner of 17^th Street and White Avenue.

n  The alley south of White Avenue, between 17^th and 18^th streets – 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday, March 7, through Wednesday, March 9. A contractor will be doing utility work associated with The Standard.

n  19^th Street, between Cumberland Avenue and White Avenue – 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, March 7, through Friday, March 11. Southern Constructors Inc. will be adding stormwater infrastructure as part of the City’s Cumberland Project.

n  The alley south of White Avenue, between 18^th and 19^th streets – Closed at the western end due to utility work associated with the Cumberland Project.

n  17^th Street, between Cumberland and White avenues – A right-hand northbound lane will be closed from Monday, March 14, through Monday morning, March 21. Southern Constructors Inc. will be installing a new water main.

Most infrastructure upgrades throughout the Cumberland Avenue Corridor are part of the City of Knoxville’s $17 million Cumberland reconstruction, to be completed by August 2017. (Improvements that are part of private construction projects are coordinated with the City project in order to minimize effects on commuters and pedestrians.)

The City’s reconstruction will change the existing four-lane Cumberland between 22^nd and 17^th streets to a three-lane cross section with a raised median and left-turn lanes at intersections. An earlier phase of work on the western end of Cumberland focused on improving traffic flow between the Alcoa Highway ramps and 22^nd Street; that phase finished at the end of 2015, on time and under budget.

More information is available at www.CumberlandConnect.com, on the Cumberland Connect Facebook page, facebook.com/CumberlandConnect, and on the Cumberland Connect phone app.

Or text VFL to 313131 to get text messages on the most current traffic updates.

Community Events

Friday March 4, 2016

Knoxville Ice Bears vs Macon

Knoxville Civic Coliseum
7:00pm
For tickets call 865-656-4444. Call 865-215-8999 for event information. Get tickets and event information at www.KnoxvilleColiseum.com

Saturday March 5, 2016

Junior League Bag-a-Bargain

Jacob Building at Chilhowee Park
8:00am-1:00pm
Annual rummage sale at Chilhowee Park.  www.jlknoxville.org

Saturday March 5, 2016

L’Amour Du Vin
Knoxville Museum of Art
6:30pm
Gala, dinner and auction fundraiser

Saturday March 5, 2016

KTC Youth Winter Greenway Series
Tyson Park Greenway
8:00am
Encourages local youth 12 and under to participate in running events while showcasing Knoxville's Parks and Greenways

Saturday March 5, 2016

Be Great Run 8K
Tyson Park Greenway
9:00am

Saturday March 5, 2016

Mardi Growl

Willow Street/ Market Square
11:00am-2:00pm
9th annual Mardi Growl Parade to raise funds for homeless pets in need.

Saturday March 5, 2016

Neighborhood Awards & Networking Luncheon

Knoxville Convention Center
9:30am-2:00pm
This free event will bring together leaders and members of neighborhood organizations across Knoxville, along with elected officials, city department heads and individual citizens who just want to improve the quality of life and sense of community in their neighborhoods. For more information visit http://www.knoxvilletn.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalId=109562&pageId=2261014

As always, thanks for your interest in everything related to Cumberland Avenue - have a safe and fun-filled weekend.